The desert riders: the camel cavalry protecting Mauritania against jihadism

In the heart of the Mauritanian desert, a unique military unit rides camels to ensure national security. These are the meharists, nomadic soldiers of the National Guard who patrol the vast and remote areas of the country on the backs of dromedaries, playing a crucial role in the fight against jihadism. Their effectiveness is undeniable, as Mauritania has not suffered a jihadist attack since 2011. 

The Mehari are the heirs of the former camel-mounted military units created during the French colonial period. Aboard their ‘desert ships’ – as the dromedary camels are known – and with Kalashnikov rifles slung over their shoulders, they roam the south-east of the country, a strategic area near the border with Mali, where the jihadist threat is constant. 

Mauritania's 2,200-kilometre eastern border borders countries affected by extremist violence such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. In this context, dromedaries have proven to be superior tactical allies to off-road vehicles: tireless, capable of surviving for weeks without food or water and adapted to the difficult sandy terrain. 

‘The nomadic group can be deployed in very remote or difficult-to-access areas to ensure the state's presence there,’ explains Colonel Moulaye al-Bashir, commander of the unit. 

The strategy has gained momentum since 2019, when, with just 50 men, it was revitalised with international financial aid. Today, the Nomad Group has 150 riders and 400 camels and has received several million euros from the European Union, which is keen to maintain stability in a region plunged into chaos. 

The soldiers carry out training exercises that incorporate modern technology such as drones. Guided by instructions via walkie-talkies, they learn to detect and capture cattle thieves, a common threat in the area. 

The base of operations is located in Hodh Ech Chargui, more than 1,000 kilometres from Nouakchott, the capital, near the Mbera refugee camp, which houses some 140,000 Malians, according to UNHCR. Many more live outside the official perimeter, fleeing both jihadists and abuses by the Malian army or its Russian allies. 

The Meharists not only patrol, they also gather intelligence, provide medical care and establish contact with nomadic communities, many of whom are potential targets for extremist recruitment. Recruited themselves from Bedouin tribes, the soldiers gain local trust by herding livestock, chasing thieves or returning lost animals. 

The Mauritanian government has also built strategic wells along patrol routes that have encouraged nomadic communities to settle. In a part of the desert where there was not a single hut in 2017, between 50 and 60 families now live, thanks in part to the installation of a small medical centre.  

Mauritania's success is not solely due to the desert horsemen, but their role is fundamental in a strategy that other Sahel countries, such as Chad and Niger, are already observing with interest. In fact, Colonel al-Bashir hopes to soon train other Mehari units and proudly share ‘the Mauritanian experience.’